James Herbertson continues to cut a swathe through the summer country cups after partnering  Bulletproof Boy to an all the way win in the Woodlands Stud Ballarat Pacing Cup.

Sent out the $2.40 favorite, Bulletproof Boy gained a break on his rivals around the home turn and it was left to Hector in the trail to issue the only serious challenge in the straight.

Despite drifting up the track, Bulletproof Boy held a 1.3 metre margin on the line over Hector reeling off his last 800 metres in 55.3 seconds and recording a mile rate of 1:55 for the 2710 metres.

It was the 24-year-old Herbertson’s third cup in consecutive weeks and another tinged with post-race drama in the stewards’ room.

After steering Bulletproof Boy to victory in the Bendigo Cup, a week ago Herbertson found himself on the right end of a stewards’ decision to disqualify Captain Hammerhead after driver David Moran’s right leg made contact with the horse in the home straight.

Herbertson and Kanena Provlima were subsequently upgraded from second past the post to the winner.

On Saturday night Bulletproof Boy had to survive a protest from the second horse Hector for interference in the home straight.

Herbertson was a relieved man  after the ruling.

“We did shift don’t worry about that but the margin was probably enough to be satisfactory and it didn’t take them (stewards) long, we were out of the room for about a minute before they called us back in,” Herbertson said.

The Ballarat raised Herbertson admitted the win was a personal highlight.

“It’s nearly the top of the list, last year I was asked what races I wanted to win and the Ballarat Cup was near the top,” he said.

Trainer Scott Ewen rated the win as career defining for the 10-year-old pacer.

“It’s the best win,” Ewen said.

“To win tonight again even though he was favorite which doesn’t mean much in these races,  it is the luck you have and the best horse on the day and he proved he was the best horse tonight,” he said.

Ewen is looking forward to the Group 1 A G Hunter Cup in a fortnight.

“He’s going to have to get a draw, as far as the Hunter Cup I’d just like to see him in it and just be competitive,” he said.

THE Chris Svanosio trained trotter Arcee Phoenix is on track to complete a hat trick of feature race wins in the upcoming Group 1 Great Southern Star after accounting for his rivals in the Aldebaran Park Knight Pistol.

Arcee Phoenix ($1.10 fav) worked to the early lead and was never headed thereafter scoring by a metre and a half from Aardiebythehill in a mile rate of 1:58.1.

At his previous start the six-year-old produces a powerful finale to take out the Group 1 Aldebaran Park Maori Mile at Bendigo.

Svanosio is now setting plans in place to have the son of Trixton at his peak for the Great Southern Star at Melton on Hunter Cup night.

“His biggest strength is his toughness and he’s probably going to need that in the Great Southern Star,” Svanosio said.

“Hopefully he’ll come through this race well and we’ll start working to have him as good as he can in a couple of weeks’ time,” he said.

With last year’s winner Callmethebreeze on the sidelines and the retirement of champion trotter Just Believe, Svanosio is hoping the way is clear for Arcee Pheonix to prevail in the Great Southern Star.

“We’re hoping he has stepped up that little bit more and last year he got beaten nine metres in the race and we’re hoping he is about 9.1 metres better this year,” he said.